Apparatus for the daily making of beds



1950 E. WILD 2,947,008

APPARATUS FOR THE DAILY MAKING OF BEDS Filed Oct. 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet} Aug. 2, 1960 E'. 'WlLD 5 2,947,008

APPARATUS FOR THE DAILY MAKIIIG or BEDS Filed Oct. 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Claims priority, application Switzerland Feb. 20,1958

6 Claims. Cl. .-321) This invention relates to a method and an apparatus" for the daily making of beds. 3

Putting the beds in order requires everyday to air sheets and wool blanketgtqspread, stretch and securely V clamp the marginalportionsthereof'underneath the mat-j tress and to orderly arrange the bedding, while this procedure has been carried out in the same manner for cen-n turies, it -is' a strenous and time-consuming work particularly with modern'low bedsgflj.

It is an object of the invention to provide amethod and .an apparatus which wouldpeifininputting the, bed in better. and nicer order by means of afew manipul'a tionsinsomeiseconds, withoufcausiugjfatigueand with:

out involvinginconvenient steepin 1 It ia fe' t ire of the" method according to the.1nven'-.

tion th'a't by means of a'novel" apparatus the operating surfacefor making the bed maybe changed from the horizontal position-intovertical position and placed in an ideal operating level and location, in order to better air, stretch and arrange the beddinginamore convenient working position.

According to the invention, the apparatus for carrying out the method comprises a U-shaped frame which abuts against one longitudinal side and against the two short sides of the mattress and is pivotally mounted to be swung about a horizontal axis, extending along the second longitudinal side, from the horizontal position, in which it surrounds the mattress, into a vertical position, in order to facilitate making the beds by placing and fastening the lower and the upper linen as well as the wool blanket to or on the upturned frame, by tilting the frame over into the horizontal position and by inserting the bed sheets underneath the free-remaining longitudinal side of the mattress.

The present invention will now be described in more nited States Patent 2,947,008 Patented' Aug. 2, 1960 2 of theframe 3, according to Fig. 1, with a nose-shaped abutment 7 of the, lower hinge plate 5" screwed'to the mattress frame 1. The frame 3 can be turned by means of this hinge 5 from the vertical position shown in Fig. 1 into horizontal position. In this position the frame 3 tightly engages the longitudinal side and the two short sides of themattress 4, while the top edge of the frame 3 will be situated lower than the top edge of the mattress 4. The second longitudinal side of the servicing flank of the bed remains free.

When making the bed, the frame 3 is pulledupwards into vertical position until engaging the abutment. The hinge 5 is formed so as to cause the frame? to remain fixed in the described position. Now the lower bed sheetis-placed over the then" overlying longitudinal side 3" of the frame 3 in such a manner-that approximately 6 inches of the bed sheet remain free on this longitudinal si'de. The bedsheet is equally distributed at the short sides of the frame 3. The free marginal portion of the lower sheet isw-rapped around the sides ofthe frame and I 'tightly ietained by means; of the fastening clamps 8 shown-in Fig$ 8. --Now the top'bed sheet together with thewo'ol blanket is placed over the frame, folded back atthe head side, 'wrapped around the frame s ides on the remaining sides,-fai'ld held in place by clamps '8. This stagebf'bedding is illustrated inFigi 2. Hereupon the frame 3 together with the bed sheets and the wool blanket can be turned down into horizontal position, whereupon detail with reference to the accompanying drawings il-* 'lustrating, by way of example, several embodiments of the invention, and in which:

Figs. 1-3' show a bed provided with the novel apparatus in the initial state, in the intermediary state and in the frame 3 which is adapted to be swung about an axis,

extending on the longitudinal side of the mattress 4. For this purpose the free end of each short side 3' of the frame 3 is connected to the mattress frame 1 by means of a hinge 5 (see Figs. 6 and 7). The hinge plate 5, secured to the frame 3, of the hinges 5 is provided with an abutment pin 6 which coacts, in the vertical position the 7 bed sheetsTare orderly spread and tucked underneath the mattress 4 at 'thservicin'g' side of the bed, "whereby makingtliebed is completed' The bed (Fig: 3)

put in order in this mannerfmay in addition be covered I by atop blanket.*-- a 7 Aparat from the fact that the bed can be conveniently and rapidly fixed at the servicing side ofthe bed, the fixed bed itself oifers further advantages by preventing the bed sheets, securely retained on the frame 3 by clamps 8, from coming into disorder even with a restless sleeper.

I As evident from Fig. 1 but particularly from Figs. 4 and 5, the short sides 3' of the frame 3 are connected with the longitudinal side 3" by means of angular pieces 9. The ends of the short sides 3 and of the longitudinal side 3", respectively, are suitably provided with longitudinal slots 10 through which screws 11 pass, which are inserted in holes of the angular pieces 9. The screws 11 engage clamping latches ll which abut against the inner side of the frame3. This arrangement permits the widening or lengthening of the frame 3, whereby the frame sides may be securely clamped to the angular pieces 9 in any position of adjustment. Thereby the frame 3 may be easily adapted to the prevailing dimensional proportions of the bed and the mattress, respectively. Since mounting of the frame 3 is a simple matter anyhow and since the described construction of the frame readily permits to attach it to all beds of standard sizes, the apparatus could be advantageously produced and put on the market as self-made unit, to be built from purchased parts according to instructions.

The frame 3 could also be moved by means of a driving mechanism. According to Fig. 9 one of the short sides 3 of the frame at its end is'connected in fixed relation for rotation with a shaft 13 which is rotatably mounted in a reinforcing angle 14 secured to the bed frame not shown. The shaft'13 carries a crank arm 15 which through a connecting rod 16 is linked to an eccentrically located pin 17 of a circular disk 18. The disk is keyed to the take-off shaft .19 of a reduction gear 20.

The drive shaft of the gearing 20 is connected with the shaftof an electromotor 22. The motor 22 can be controlled by means of a switch not shown so that the frame will be turned up or down.

According to a similar modification shown in Fig. 10 the pistonrod 23 of a piston movable within a cylinder 24 is linked to a crank arm 15. The cylinder 24 is anchored to the reinforcing angle 14 at a point of articulation 25, Pressure fluid for actuating the piston ispassed to the. cylinder 24 through a duct 26 from a. pressure source not shown, said fluid supply taking place over a control elementwhich enables inthis modification the setting of the frame in upright or horizontal position.

Fig. 11 showsa bed in which the mattress 4isplaced directly upon the bedstead 27. The frame 3 is here swingably mounted on pivot pins 28 which are built into the interior of the short sides of the mattress 4.

In another modification according. to Fig. 12 hinges 5 such as shown in Figs. 6 -and7 are-attached to the frame 3, in which case,'however, the lower hinge plate 5" is not screwed-on but inserted in holders 29, which holders in turn are secured to a submattress 30 Thereby the frame 3 can be removed from the bed in the most simple manner or set up again.

.In Fig. 13 reinforcing angles 14-such as shown in Figs. 9 and -are' arranged at-the head end and at the foot end of a bedstead 27 and secured thereon by means of holding brackets 31. The frame 3 is mounted on these angles 14. Also this arrangement is very =well adapted for subsequent assembly and permits easy mounting and dismounting of the'frame.

The features of the described embodiments of the in- I vention, which havebeen chosen from a'great number of possible modifications, naturally may be combinedin porting said frame on said bed for hinged movement,

4 about said open side and clamping means adapted for clamping sheets and covers onto said frame whereby the sheets and covers are pivotal as a unit with the frame onto said mattress, the open side providing for the engagement and disengagement of the sheets and covers beneath said mattress.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said frame includes sides and means adjustably connecting said sides for accommodating mattresses of different sizes.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 comprising means coupled to said frame and providing power to pivot the frame. I I

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first said means supports the frame of the covering device on frame of said bed.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first said means supports the frame of the covering device onsaid mattress.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame of said covering device includes end portions pivotally supported on the first said means, said end portions sandwiching said mattress along a side of the mattress in all positions of the latter said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 839,041 Schwab Dec. 18, 1906 976,937 Schwab Nov. 29,1910 1,466,711 Glass Sept, 4, 1923' 2,257,554 Hitchcock Sept. 30, 1941 2,445,030 Mandelbaurn July 13, 1948 2,634,426 Anderson Apr. 14, 1953 2,797,419 Parks July 2,1957

FOREIGN PATENTS 723,771 Germany Aug. 10, 1942 

